


even the best fall down sometimes

by Directionless_Foray



Category: Independence Day (1996)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Infidelity, M/M, please read it anyway, this is such a mess of a fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-03
Updated: 2017-01-11
Packaged: 2018-07-29 00:54:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7663957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Directionless_Foray/pseuds/Directionless_Foray
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So yeah, it’s a foregone conclusion. The sky is blue, grass is green and Charlie is a little bit in love with his best-friend.</p><p>What a fucking cliche.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> I just really want there to be more fic about these two.
> 
> (Title from 'Collide' by Howie Day)

Charlie thinks Jake is kind of gorgeous. 

 

Not in that  _ look at me and worship at my feet _  kind of way. Don’t get him wrong, it’s not like Jake doesn’t know how attractive he is, no- this is something different. Jake knows what effect his grin can have on people but he doesn’t bask in it, his grins are careless and the devastation they leave behind... also careless. 

 

So yeah, it’s a foregone conclusion. The sky is blue, grass is green and Charlie is a little bit in love with his best-friend.

 

What a fucking  _ cliche _ . 

 

-

 

Patricia has only met Charlie Miller a handful of times and yet- and yet he’s somehow made himself a small, small but immovable, place in her life. He hasn’t quite set up metaphorical camp in her living room, but it’s a close thing. 

 

Charlie creeps into her’s and Jake’s life in the quietest of ways and makes his home in the corners of Jake’s heart that she knows she will never be able to reach. “Charlie hates broccoli, fucking hates the stuff” he’ll chuckle to himself as Patricia tells Jake about what she’s making for dinner, “don’t get me a blue pair pair, I think Charlie’s got a blue pair,” he’ll muse to himself when they’re discussing what socks Patricia should send him. 

 

It’s  moments like those that take Patricia by surprise, and maybe it’ll take a moment or two for her to regain her composure but that’s the way it is. Moments like those make her wonder if it’s really the distance that’s pulling and pushing them in different directions. Blaming physical distance seems like such a cop out and Patricia Whitmore has never been one to flinch away from the cold-hard truth.

 

But this _ thing _ , god she doesn’t even know what to fucking call it, is so innocent, so little  _ (only she knows it’s  _ **_not_ ** _ ) _ . Jake never really talk  _ about _ Charlie, it’s never “you’ll never believe what Charlie did today,” or “Charlie said the funniest thing today.” Patricia doesn’t even know if she’d prefer it that way.

 

(Sometimes a small voice will ask her if  _ maybe Jake’s claimed ownership of corners of Charlie’s heart too _ ) 

 

Patricia tells the voice the shut the fuck up.

 

-

 

Dylan is not friends with Jake. He doesn’t quite know what they are anymore but he’s confident, in a world where there’s perhaps very little you can be confident of, that he and Jake are not  _ friends. _

 

Still, in a weird,  _ soft  _ way, he’s glad that Jake’s got someone like Charlie in his life. 

 

Without even realising he’ll be watching them from across the hangar. 

 

The way Charlie will grin, equal parts mischievous challenge and fond affection, and the way Jake towers over him, his posture instinctively adjusting to curve almost protectively.over the smaller man. And maybe Dylan realises that there’s vulnerability hiding behind Charlie’s bravado. Dylan will smirk reflexively and without mirth,  _ Jake’s always had a bit of a hero-complex, _ and then the moment will be over and he’ll be back to pretending Jake doesn’t exist.

 

After all, Dylan and Jake are not friends anymore. 

 

-

 

Charlie knows deep down that he’ll never have a Patricia. God no, not in  _ that _ way, he doesn’t have a  _ thing  _ for his best friend's fiancee. Good fucking god he’s not that fucking pathetic. What he means is that he’ll never have what Patricia is to Jake. Constant, definite and absolute. Patricia is Jake’s  _ other half. _

 

Charlie figures that the whole  _ being in love with his best-friend _ pretty much dooms him to a life of disappointment and  _ almost but nowhere near enough. _

 

It’s okay though, because if anyone deserved happiness, deserves an  _ other half, _ it’s Jake.  __

 

Jake who’s life has been was painstakingly carved into stone, dragged from the flames and chipped away from the unforgiving pain of loss. If anyone deserves happiness, in Charlie’s eyes, that person would be Jake Morrison. 

 

-

 

Rain Lao doesn’t know much about the people she works alongside. 

 

She knows Charlie flirts with her like it’s a performance, like a desperate attempt to convey that he’s  _ fine, just fine, smoke and mirrors, hey look pretty girl _ ! She’s not offended or even disappointed, she just wants to know who the performance is for. She gets her answer when his gaze nervously flickers over to Jake Miller over lunch one day. And wow, now Rain  _ is _ disappointed. She should have seen that from a mile away. Pining best friend is hardly a new narrative is it? 

 

Rain knows Jake Morrison has issues as far as the eye can see. Even if he didn’t have a fiancee as well as a pining best friend she still wouldn’t go near that with a ten-foot pole to be quite frank. 

 

It’s not like she’s immune though, she cuts herself a little slack when she’s on the receiving end of one of those brilliant Morrison smiles. She knows her limits. She can lean against the wall for a moment or two to catch her breath but she’s not pulling out of the marathon. This is a woman who has excelled in every field she’s been flung into and has fought tooth and nail for her opportunity to  fight for and protect her planet. Startlingly blue eyes aren’t going to weaken her resolve. Rain Lao is made of tougher stuff. 

 

Rain Lao also knows Jake Morrison always has his eyes on the horizon, his gaze brings with it with the intensity of a thousand suns. 

 

Rain knows a lot of things but she really wants to know if Jake Morrison realises that Charlie Miller looks at him with stars in his own eyes and as if the entire universe exists in Jake’s. 

 

-

 

Jake reckons Charlie is a constant in his life. Charlie fucking Miller who can go from startling charisma to twitching discomfort in a matter of seconds.

 

Charlie Miller is Jake’s best friend. Charlie who won’t so much as arch a brow when Jake suddenly decides he wants to pull an all-nighter and watch movies or try something that will almost definitely result in both of them being grounded by higher-ups.  

 

Charlie Miller who stared back at Jake unflinchingly when Jake told him about his parents. Charlie Miller who has also been dealt a cruel hand by fate. 

 

Charlie Miller whose smile is just a little too bright, whose sense of humour just a little too sharp for this stupid planet.  

 

Charlie Miller exemplifies all that is  _ good _ in Jake’s life and all that he could one day lose if he fucks up big enough. 

 

Charlie Miller is Jake’s  _ best friend. _

 


	2. Chapter 2

Charlie knows that he may seem like quite a catch. Okay, no, that came out wrong, he’s not bragging, he’s  _ really not _ . What he means is that he can see why others may think he’s a catch when the reality is that he is  _ anything _ but.  

 

He looks in the mirror and knows he’s not fucking gorgeous,  _ but he’s not hideous either he reminds his demons. _ He’s fairly successful in his field,  _ I mean he helped save the fucking planet so yeah, kind of good at what he does.  _

 

He also knows he runs hot and cold. No- not just  _ hot _ and  _ cold _ , even more extreme. Cocky charisma personified one moment and icy detachment the next.  _ Hard to get, yeah, he’s been called that, though on second thought, hard to  _ **_keep_ ** _ seems more appropriate. _

 

But the key point is that yeah, he gets why some people would be interested. Or more specifically, Paul, Paul the engineer. Paul who has golden blonde hair and a surprisingly dry sense of humour and shy smile. Paul who, if Charlie squints, looks a little bit like Charlie’s best friend. Paul who means well and is valiantly carrying this conversation for the both of them at this particular moment. It’s not Paul’s fault Charlie has no interest whatsoever in aerodynamic drag variables. 

 

it’s not Paul’s fault that he’s too nice to see that Charlie isn’t worth the trouble. 

 

It’s not Charlie’s fault he’s too nice to reject his advances.

 

It’s not Paul’s fault he’s not Jake.  

 

Charlie smiles and nods encouragingly and figures that this is the least he can give Paul. If Paul blushes and stumbles over his words when Charlie leans in a little closer to hear more clearly…. Well, Charlie will take that as a flattering reminder that just because you can’t be with who you love, doesn’t mean you have to be  _ alone _ .

 

-

 

Jake catches sight of Paul talking Charlie’s ear off and chuckles to himself, Charlie’s smile emanates warmth but Jake recognises the faraway gaze in his eyes. He’d wager that Charlie has no idea what poor Paul is rambling on about. 

 

He’s still chuckling to himself as he walks into the cafeteria, the laughter dies in his throat as he nearly walks into Dylan. Fuck.

 

The comfortable hum of conversation dissipates immediately, replaced with tension. 

 

The two men stare at each other intently. Neither of them wants a fight but Jake knows he’s not gonna stand down if it really comes to blows. Judging by the tense set of Dylan’s shoulders and his set jaw Jake’s not the only one. 

 

The moment is broken when Rain- and where the hell did she come from- nudges him with a cafeteria tray. She looks up at Dylan expectantly, he lowers his gaze and stalks past both of them. 

 

There’s a collective sigh of relief as the chatter resumes, Jake throws Rain a grateful, “thanks.” Her answering expression is unimpressed.

 

“Lunch?” she asks.

 

“Lunch,” he nods.

 

-

 

“So, Hiller is… you won’t be swapping friendship bracelets will you?” Rain asks softly over steamed fish and vegetables. Jake likes Rain, likes the way she speaks: gentle and unhurried. As if she’s taking special care selecting the words she’ll use to convey what she wants to say. It’s not necessarily a language-barrier thing, it’s more like an elegant and inherent  _ carefulness _ she possesses _. _ It’s a  _ Rain _ thing. 

 

Jake doesn’t like the question though. Doesn’t like the question because there is no real answer he can give. His hands tighten around his cutlery and Rain ignores him and pops a slice of carrot in her mouth.

 

“You can’t risk someone’s life, save it and call it even.” It’s not quite and answer but it’s the truth. 

 

“Hm... I see,” she nods her head pensively.The corner of her mouth twitches upwards. “What about Charlie?” she nods her head in his direction, “bracelets or no bracelets?” she asks innocently.

 

“Charlie…” Jake looks over to where he is, still in the reluctant role of Paul’s audience of one. He’s clearly uncomfortable with how long his conversation with Paul is yet too polite to end it and risk offending him and something in Jake’s gut tightens instinctively. “Charlie is my best friend.”

 

Rain coughs to get his attention. “Jealous?”

 

Jake laughs at that, “hardly, he’s not going to replace me with Paul.” He waggles his eyebrows, “I’m much more handsome,” he winks.

 

“ _Dumber too_ ,” she murmurs to herself rolling her eyes. “I’d keep an eye on him if were you though, make sure he- how do you say it?” she purses her lips, “ah yes,” she smirks, “make sure his intentions are  _ honourable.” _

 

“Oh,  _ oh...” _ Jake’s head whips around and he’s seeing Paul and Charlie’s exchange in a new light. 

 

_ So  _ **_so_ ** _ much dumber, _ Rain thinks to herself. 

 

“I’m sure Charlie can handle himself just fine,” he reassures Rain as he tries to mentally decide the most strategic _and_ _ soonest _ time to interrogate Paul. “I’m his best friend.” 

 

“If you say so.”  

 

There’s an awkward few moments of silence.

 

Rain inspects a slice of potato, “I have heard a rumour recently… is it true you are in possession of a copy of the star wars films?” satisfied with her inspection she pops the slice of potato in her mouth and chews. The arch of her brow is playful, “perhaps you will consider lending it to a new friend?”.

  
“Depends who your sources are,” he throws back grinning. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bamf Rain Lao is my favourite.  
> Again, comments and kudos are much appreciated :)


	3. 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SORRY it took so long to update. Between uni and exams and overseas travel I'll be the first to admit I dropped the ball. Hopefully this (long-ish) update makes up for it! Enjoy :)

"The storyline is both confusing and also very simple?"

 

"It's a _classic_ is what you meant."

 

"Jake do not twist my words."

 

"I'm just saying, I'm sure you didn't _intentionally_ insult one of my all-time favourite films, right?"

 

Rain sighs, "of course not." She humours him, "I liked Obi-Wan."

 

Jake chuckles fondly, "yeah of course you would." Rain glares.

 

There's a knock and Charlie opens the door, he surveys the scene before him. Rain and Jake sprawled on the floor. Star Wars playing on the holo-screen. Freeze-dried snacks littering the floor.

 

"Um." Charlie blinks. He blinks again just to confirm.

 

"Hey Charlie! We only just finished A New Hope, want to get in on this action?"

 

" _Action_ ," Charlie mouths silent and incredulous. He blinks twice in quick succession.

 

"I was informed the correct way of watching the films is not in the strict chronological order," Rain remarks drily.

 

Jake throws Charlie a _can you believe this innocent little sparrow_ look. "Don't worry Charlie, I set her straight."

 

Charlie shakes his head but settles down next to Jake and tears open a pack of dried blueberries. He pops a couple in his mouth, "I'm not gonna lie, you two hanging out gives me the heebie jeebies," he gestures vaguely to the both of them, "but who am I to deny friendship or Star Wars."

 

Jake grins and tugs Charlie into a hug and simultaneously steals his blueberries. Charlie laughs and shoves at Jake's chest. Jake's grin is guileless when he stuffs a handful of blueberries into his mouth.

 

Rain shakes her head in disbelief. _These two are hopeless._

 

-

 

Charlie gets up and shakes some crumbs off his pants around the end of Phantom Menace (chosen at Rain's insistence).

 

Jake's brows knit together, "I know it's a wreck but surely you're not gonna stage a walk-out."

 

Charlie rolls his eyes, "I am tempted, but I told Paul I'd meet him." Rain wordlessly glances at Jake for his response.

 

"Oh." Jake regrets how disappointed his voice sounds. "Well… have fun," he offers lamely. _Idiot_ Rain sighs to herself.

 

Charlie gives him a confused look, "… will do?"

 

 _No, idiots, **plural** ,_ she corrects herself.

 

-

 

Jake makes his way down the hallways swiftly. Avoiding eye contact, he just needs to get to the gym and work through this tension. This stupid tension that isn't because of Charlie. Charlie and _Paul._

 

Stupid Paul who is a well-adjusted and well-rounded person, who makes little to no mistakes, is respected in his field. Paul who's going to steal his best-friend.

 

Jake is so busy _not being bothered_ that he doesn't see Dylan walking in the opposite direction. The collision isn't pretty and results in both men being flung onto the floor.

 

Everyone in the hallways comes to a standstill, it's deadly silent.

 

In the next moment Dylan and Jake are forehead to forehead. Furious. Dylan shoves Jake and _yes, this is exactly what Jake needs. A fucking outlet._

 

So he swings. Swings and misses.

 

Dylan doesn't miss. _Then and again he always did have the better aim._  

 

Jake throws himself into the fight and manages to get in a few good punchs before Dylan has him in a headlock. 

 

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" Dylan shoves Jake particularly hard and backs away wiping at the blood on his chin with the back of his hand. "Back the fuck away," his eyes are angry but it looks like a controlled anger. Jake can't say the same for himself. "What the fuck is wrong with you, Jake?"

 

"Everything," he wants to say, wants to yell. Wants to cry. He just growls, takes the out Dylan is offering and stalks off instead.

 

_Dylan did always have the level head and better sense too._

 

-

 

"Jesus christ what the fuck happened to you?" Charlie recoils in horror when Jake returns to their room.

 

Jake ignores him and starts digging around for a clean t-shirt. “So, Paul  huh?” he mentally berates himself _real tactful Morrison, real tactful_.

 

“... yeah, what about him?” Charlie asks distractedly as he tugs out their shared first-aid kit and rifles through it. The action practised and familiar.

 

"Thought you were hanging with him tonight," he grunts. 

 

"He had to meet up with his project team," Charlie shrugs still looking concerned. He sets aside some antiseptic and a few bandages. Charlie motions for Jake to come closer and Jake reluctantly ambles over.

 

“You uh, he’s uh- he’s kind of friendly.” _Cringe, cringe, cringe._ Jake tries to hide his wince as Charlie dabs at his cuts.

 

“Yeah I guess,” Charlie looks up vaguely amused. “Looking to replace me?”

 

“No- I just, I just, he seems pretty, you know,” Jake shrugs his shoulders in faux-nonchalance, “he seemed pretty into you.”

 

Charlie stills.

 

“I mean, like, he’s kind of-”

 

Charlie takes a deep breath, his hands are shaking, bandages abandoned. “If now is the moment you’re gonna tell me you have a problem with me being bisexual, please for the love of god, just fucking say it.” Jake’s entranced by the sight of Charlie’s pale, long fingers balled in a fist around a roll of bandages, trembling.

 

“Of course not, for fucks sake. I just- seriously, Paul?”

 

Charlie opens his mouth and then closes it again. “I um. What?”

 

“I don’t care that you’re into dudes, I’m a little pissed off that it took Rain pointing it out to me-”

 

_“How the fuck does Rain know?”_

 

Jake ignores his question and ducks to avoid being hit by the bandage roll, “-I mean I’m your best friend, also like dude, _Paul?_ ”

 

“What about him?” Charlie asks, crossing his arms, uncharacteristically defensive.

 

Jake stubbornly avoids eye-contact, “he uh," there's an awkward pause. "He doesn’t seem like your type,” he shrugs.

 

Charlie laughs, “You only just found out I’m interested in men, so pray tell Jake, what is my type?” His tone is acidic.

 

If Jake’s being honest with himself he kind of loves when Charlie is like this. Biting sharpness, stinging sarcasm but still so _warm_. Like an open flame burning the tips of your fingers. _Charlie fucking Miller_. Undoubtedly on the offensive but still inherently defensive. This is Charlie Miller at his fighting best.

 

Jake leans right into Charlie’s space. Charlie doesn’t so much as flinch. Jake knows how to be sharp and cruel too. “You like things that hurt, things that aren’t easy,” Jake smirks, “you like heartbreakers,” he says matter-of-factly.

 

Charlie grins right back, mean and unrelenting. “Fuck. You.”

 

Jake just laughs, “we both know Paul is way too nice for you.”

 

“Hey maybe I deserve a bit of nice.”

 

Jake’s expression crumples immediately, “fuck, of course you do, Charlie, that’s, fuck, that’s not what I meant-”

 

Charlie laughs nervously, “it’s _okay_ , I was kidding,” he interrupts Jake.

 

“Wait, what do you mean?” Jake’s gaze is dark and intense, “Charlie, fuck man, Charlie you do deserve niceness, you-” _you deserve everything_ “you deserve a nice guy.”

 

“... right.”

 

Jake blocks his attempt to escape. "So _are_ and Paul like… _you know."_

 

"Fucking hell," Charlie swallows, "no!" He runs a hand through his hair nervously, " _no_ , Paul's just-just a _friend."_

 

"…okay." Charlie's shoulders are still tense but his hands aren't clenched into fists or trembling anymore. Jake takes a step back and is back to avoiding all eye-contact.

 

"Okay," Charlie huffs, clearly uncomfortable. "So," he nods at the bruises blooming on the side of Jake's face and the crusty blood he didn't get around to cleaning, "what happened there?"

 

Just like that the delicate, tentative calm middle-ground they managed to reach shatters and Jake's mood sours.

 

"Nothing," he grits out.

 

Charlie, still a little sensitive and a little worked up, doesn't skip a beat with his grim laugh. "So, Dylan," he  fills in the blanks himself

 

And _fuck_ if Charlie **_knows_** Jake hates shit like that, hates when people assume they can read him, (and yes, the rational part of him knows that Charlie has probably- **_definitely_** , earned that right to assume) hates that Charlie is standing there looking at him unsurprised and _understanding._

 

There probably is no good reason for Jake to press Charlie up against the wall, he doesn't normally like to draw attention to how much _bigger_ he is compared to Charlie, but now feels like a good time to reassert the fact that Charlie. Does. Not. Want. To. Fuck. With. Jake. And certainly not today.

 

Jake doesn’t even flinch. He laughs in Jake's face. **Fuck** , he's worked up and tired and confused and primed for a fight. He shoves at Jakes shoulders, "fuck you Jake," he settles for digging his fingers into Jake's bicep. He hopes it hurts Jake as much as it's hurting him. "You and your fucking macho angstiness. _Fuck you_."

 

Jake doesn't miss a beat, "like you fucked Paul?" he leers obnoxiously bracing his large hands on Charlies waist. Charlie's fingers still digging, carving, into his bicep.

 

Charlie kicks Jake in the gut and without thinking yells, "yeah, just like that, like how he fucked me good and har-"

 

Jake decides he needs to shut Charlie up and swallows his vitriol in a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yell with me about these two space dorks in-love [here](http://storm-in-my-teacup.tumblr.com/)

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are appreciated!


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